Lobelia plant named ‘WNLOLACLWH’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘WNLOLACLWH’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit; vigorous and sturdy growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; pure white-colored flowers; long flowering period; relative high temperature tolerance and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lobelia erinus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WNLOLACLWH’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘WNLOLACLWH’.

The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alajuela, Costa Rica, Twinsburg, Ohio and Carleton, Mich. The objective of the breeding program is to create new outwardly spreading, freely-branching and bushy Lobelia plants with a long flowering period, high temperature tolerance and good garden performance.

The new Lobelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Alajuela, Costa Rica in November, 2016 of Lobelia erinus ‘Tech Hewhit’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,053, as the female, or seed, parent with Lobelia erinus ‘Weslosnowhi’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Twinsburg, Ohio on Aug. 15, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in Carleton, Mich. since Nov. 15, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘WNLOLACLWH’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘WNLOLACLWH’ as a new and distinct Lobelia plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous and sturdy growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Pure white-colored flowers.     -   7. Long flowering period.     -   8. Relative high temperature tolerance and good garden         performance.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Tech Hewhit’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more high temperature tolerant         than plants of ‘Tech Hewhit’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Tech Hewhit’.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Weslosnowhi’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more vigorous than and not as         compact as plants of ‘Weslosnowhi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Weslosnowhi’.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Lobelia erinus ‘Loboudtis’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,526. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of ‘Loboudtis’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Loboudtis’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Loboudtis’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia flower more freely and for a longer         period of time under high temperature conditions than plants of         ‘Loboudtis’.

Plants of the new Lobelia can also be compared to plants of Lobelia erinus ‘Tech Helitbule’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,067. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of ‘Tech Helitbule’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more trailing than plants of         ‘Tech Helitbule’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Tech Helitbule’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Lobelia are pure white in color         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Tech Helitbule’ are light blue in         color.     -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia flower more freely under high         temperature conditions than plants of ‘Tech Helitbule’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lobelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘WNLOLACLWH’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘WNLOLACLWH’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn and winter in 10.8-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Loudon, N.H. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lobelia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were grown under long day/short night conditions and were pinched two weeks after planting. Plants were ten weeks from planting rooted cuttings when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus ‘WNLOLACLWH’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Lobelia erinus ‘Tech Hewhit’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,053.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Lobelia erinus ‘Weslosnowhi’, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at soil             temperatures about 21° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at soil             temperatures about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at soil temperatures about 21° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at soil temperatures about 16° C. to 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and             mounding to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit             with lateral branches developing at potentially every node;             dense and bushy plant habit; vigorous and sturdy growth             habit and rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 37 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 21 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly spreading to             trailing. Texture and luster: Fine pubescence, dense;             moderately glossy. Color: Close to 146A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.75 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.75 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate becoming more elliptic with development.         -   Apex.—Obtuse to bluntly acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Crenate; slightly undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; moderately glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to between 146A and 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 7.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement, habit and shape.—Single, axillary             flowers; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely flowering             habit with flowers potentially developing at every node;             flowers bilabiate with two upper petals and three larger             fused lower petals.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, in New             Hampshire, plants of the new Lobelia flower continuously             from planting in the spring until frost in the autumn; early             flowering habit, plants begin flowering about three to four             weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual             flowers is highly dependent on temperature, flowers             typically last about 10 to 14 days on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Flower height.—About 2 cm to 2.4 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.1 cm by 2.3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2 cm to 2.5 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm to 3 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1 cm to 1.2 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, distally.—About 3.5 mm to 4 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm to 2.5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: Sepals, more green than 147A; petals,             close to 144B to 144C.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals fused             towards the base; two upper petals and three larger fused             lower petals. Upper petals: Length, beyond throat: About             7.5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Cuspidate. Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Lower             petals: Length, beyond throat: About 1.4 cm. Width: About             8 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse to short cuspidate.             Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and             lower petals: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:             Close to NN155D; venation, close to NN155D; color does not             change with subsequent development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to NN155D; venation, close to             NN155D; color does not change with subsequent development.             Color, throat, upper petals: Close to NN155D. Color, throat,             lower petals: Close to NN155D; nectar guides, close to 144A.             Color, tube, upper and lower petals: Close to NN155D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at             the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 7.5 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire;             not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: More green than 147A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible; wiry. Aspect: About 45° to 90°             from lateral branch axis. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Slightly darker green than             146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color: Close to             NN155D. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 2 mm. Anther shape:             Oblong. Anther color: Close to 164A. Pollen amount: None             observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to             84A. Style color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Fruits and seeds.—To date, fruit and seed development have             not been observed on plants of the new Lobelia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Lobelia have     not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Lobelia plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and to be     relatively tolerant to high temperature conditions. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘WNLOLACLWH’ as illustrated and described. 